Ben Miller has been cast as a harassed Liberal-Democrat campaigner in a real-time sitcom set on a fleet of campaign buses that will be written and broadcast in the run-up to election day.

The show also stars Miranda actress Sarah Hadland as a former TV presenter turned Ukip official and Hugh Dennis, who plays a Conservative campaigner.

The Channel 4 show, called Ballot Monkeys, is written by Drop The Dead Donkey and Outnumbered creators Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin - and the pair will leave gaps in the script allowing them to update it with topical references as the campaign gathers pace.

They said: "We're very excited about this. We don't think anyone's done anything like this before, although we may find out why."

The five 30-minute episodes will follow the fortunes of politicians, advisors, journalists and staff on board the battle buses of the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Ukip campaigns.

Fiona McDermott, Channel 4's commissioning editor for comedy, said, "We haven't yet decided whether we're brave or bonkers but a real time satirical sitcom like Ballot Monkeys could only be handled by the remarkable Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. We are thrilled to have them and such an amazing cast on board our buses."

It is the latest in a raft of politically-inspired shows made by the channel which broadcast Ukip: The First 100 Days about life under a Ukip government, and Coalition which recreated the talks which led to the formation of the last government.